The Brookhaven leader., 1887-06-16

error into which he had fallen. We
are aware that Fairman got bis data
from Mr. Hines and that he did do
what is claimed, but he did not re
tract until after the official certifi
cates of Messrs. McQuiston, Catch-
iugs and Adams, which he and every
other man at that time not acquaint-
ed with the inside facts regarded as
prima .facia evidence Of the truth,
had been published.
How far Mr.. Hines helps out Gen.
Adams and the other certificate.
makers will appear from the follow
ing letter written TO the Editor of
this paper shortly after the card of
Hamilton and Hoskins and the Ger.
tificates we're published:
JACKSON, Miss, August IL, 1885.
b. T. Hobbs, Brookhaven, Mss:
DEAR SIR--Sincc published my card
| have ascertained that i committed
/ no error in my figures TO Fairman, ard
| that his total was incorrect by his adding
! Ia ''fOr 1885,. which he should not have
done. The lease has been running for
four years-irom January l, 1881, to Jan
nary |, 16Sj-at S39, 42O per year-Sl57,-
6sO-and the Auditors books and Treasn-
rer's show but two settlements of one year
/ each $50, 420-tOtal, SIC, S40-thWs tearing
! too years undcCOHnted for. Z.
hap I MI, lish aI rH /
! that accepted as correct the statement Of
| the Lessees and the cards attached. only
intended to convey the idea that l had
made an error, bnt to what extent did
not say or intimate but upon invesilga-
! tion and reflection, ] find that my state
ment Wds correct from the books in this
office Your friend,
II. II. HINES.
A few words of explanation and
we will bring this article to close.
When Fairman made his charge
that the Lessees were behind in
their accounts with the State, it was
not so important whether he proved
the exact amount Of their delinquen
CIV as it was TO show that they were
behind at all, because, rs we have
seen. the Legislature Of 1884 had
made the Governor and his admin
istration responsible for the prompt
collection Of the lease money. In
the face Of the statute VIC have
Quoted from above, had it then been
known to the people that the Les
sees were as nuch behind as has
since been shown and that no suit
had ever been brought on their bond,
Lowry and his administration would
have been held responsible for it by
the people. Mr.. Fairman knew this
and Lowry's par,isans, of whom
Gen. Gatherings, Gen. Adams and
Mr.. McQuiston and the Peniter,
tiary Lessces were among the warm,
est, knew it, The Gubernatorial cam.
paign, in which Lowry WAS seeking
denomination was at it's height,
and an exposure Of this kind made
and sustained would have turned
the scale against him. With this
view of the situation at that time,
we ask, if The card Of the LessecS
and The certificates OF MCssrs.
McQuiston. Catchings and Adams
were snot Lowry campaign docu-
ment, intended to deceive the peo-
pie, why were they so adroitly
worded and proof sheets sent out
through the mails in advance Of the
Cartons day Of publication?
And why did Lowry, an interest
ed party who probably saw the
card before it ever appeared in the
Clarion, hold his peace until nearly
six months afterwards?
ANY man under the same circum-
stances, faced with these official
certificates, would have done as
Fairman did, and it was not Il
matter of wonder that II. H. Hines
himself, the honest and correct
accountant of the Auditors office,
con fronted with such a formidable
array of official testimonials, should
for the moment be led TO doubt his
own senses.
But what, the reader may ask,
have these things to do with the
present? Simply to show the peo.
pie that there is such a combination
as the Penitentiary Ring and that
they stand in with each other for
their own personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT
and WELD powerful influence on
the politics Of the State. Gen.
Adams says there is not, and that
the certificates were not false, but
we submit that men have been hung
on weaker evidence than we have
shown .inculpating the Ring, and OF
this we leave the public to judge.